U.S. patent application number 11/195262 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for sales completion system for mobile devices that supports invoice display and approval.
Invention is credited to Glenn JR. Hamasaki, Bindu Rama Rao.
Application Number | 20060265327 11/195262 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46322368 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060265327 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rao; Bindu Rama ; et
al. |
November 23, 2006 |
Sales completion system for mobile devices that supports invoice
display and approval
Abstract
A sale completion network comprising a mobile device
communicatively coupled to a carrier network to which a third
remote sales management server 133 may also be communicatively
coupled. The mobile device is communicatively coupled with a remote
phone, such as a cellular phone, a landline phone, a voice-over IP
phone etc. The mobile device comprises a sales completion client, a
user profile and a security component. The mobile device may be
adapted to access the remote sales management servers to receive an
invoice from it, or a reference (such as a URL) to an invoice. The
mobile device can retrieve a sales invoice using the reference
(such as URL, or an invoice id) and other related information,
display them for review and approval by a customer, and conduct
sales related transactions after user review and/or approval.
Inventors: |
Rao; Bindu Rama; (Laguna
Niguel, CA) ; Hamasaki; Glenn JR.; (Aliso Viejo,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Bindu Rama Rao
21 Henley Drive
Laguna Niguel
CA
92677
US
|
Family ID: |
46322368 |
Appl. No.: |
11/195262 |
Filed: |
August 1, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11130751 |
May 17, 2005 |
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11195262 |
Aug 1, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 20/102 20130101;
G07G 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/040 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 40/00 20060101
G06Q040/00 |
Claims
1. A method of conducting a sales transaction over a first phone
connection established between a customer phone and a salesman
phone, the method comprising: collecting a sales information on at
least one product selected by a customer; communicating at least
one of an invoice and a sales receipt, based on the collected
information, by a sales management server to the customer phone;
receiving the at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt by the
customer phone from the sales management server; displaying the at
least one of an invoice and a sales receipt by the customer phone;
soliciting customer approval for the at least one of an invoice and
a sales receipt by the customer phone; and communicating a customer
response received to a sales management server by the customer
phone.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein collecting the sales
information comprising: entering, via a sales user interface
associated with the sales management server, the sales information
into the sales management server; and storing the sales
information.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the customer response
is one of an approval and a rejection and wherein communicating
comprising: creating at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt
based on the sales information; establishing a second phone
connection with the customer phone; and transferring the at least
one of an invoice and sales receipt to the customer phone over the
second phone connection.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first phone
connection is a voice connection and the second phone connection is
one of a SMS connection, a data connection, a data connection over
GPRS, a data connection over VOIP, a data connection over EDGE, a
data connection over WiFi, a data connection over WiMAX or a data
connection over WAP.
5. A method of conducting a sales transaction using a customer
phone and a salesman phone, the method comprising: establishing a
voice connection between the customer phone connection and the
salesman phone; selecting at least one product, by the customer
using the customer phone; delivering at least one of an invoice and
a sales receipt, using at least one of a data connection and an SMS
connection, by a sales management server, when a sales person using
the salesman phone needs to send an invoice or a sales receipt to
the customer; displaying, to the customer, the at least one of an
invoice and a sales receipt using the customer phone; soliciting a
user response of the at least one of an invoice and a sales
receipt; and delivering the user response to the sales management
server.
6. The method of conducting a sales transaction according to claim
5 wherein the delivering comprising: determining the user response;
digitally signing the user response to create a signature; and
transferring the user response and the signature to the sales
management server.
7. The method of conducting a sales transaction according to claim
6 wherein the delivering further comprising: sending a user profile
comprising a credit card account, a credit card expiry date, a
billing address and a shipping address to the sales management
server.
8. The method of conducting a sales transaction according to claim
5, the method further comprising: communicating a code by the sales
person using the salesman phone to the customer; and validating the
at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt employing at least
the code, prior to the displaying.
9. The method of conducting a sales transaction according to claim
5 wherein the communicating a code occurs over a voice channel
between the customer phone and the salesman phone.
10. A phone for making purchases by a customer over a phone call,
the phone comprising: a voice communication means to make the phone
call to a salesperson on a second phone; a data communication means
for selectively receiving or retrieving an invoice from a remote
merchant server that creates the invoice; the phone capable of
receiving and displaying a sales information wherein the sales
information is at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt. the
phone receiving the sales information from the remote merchant
server, for review and approval, when the salesperson activates a
sales information delivery function in the remote merchant
server.
11. The phone of claim 10 wherein phone retrieves the sales
information from the remote merchant server, for review and
approval, when the customer using the phone activates a sales
information retrieval function in the phone during the time when
the phone is simultaneously connected to the second phone used by
the salesperson.
12. The phone according to claim 11 wherein the remote merchant
server is a device management server that is based on a device
management protocol.
13. The phone according to claim 10, the phone further comprising:
a user profile that is communicated to the remote merchant server
along with the user approval.
14. The phone of claim 10 wherein the phone further comprises: a
display means to display the sales information; an input means to
receive a user approval for the displayed sales information; and
the phone displaying the sales information when it receives one,
then soliciting the user approval using the display means, and
communicating the user approval to the remote merchant server when
the customer using the phone responds to the solicitation of the
user approval by using the input means.
15. The phone according to claim 14 wherein the voice connection
with the second phone and the data connection with the remote
merchant server are simultaneously active.
16. The phone according to claim 14 wherein the phone provides the
user with a code prompt to enter a code that is communicated by the
salesperson using the second phone to the customer using the phone
and wherein the phone accepts the code provided by the customer in
response to the code prompt displayed.
17. The phone according to claim 16 wherein the phone employs the
code provided by the customer in response to the code prompt to
validate the sales information presented by the remote merchant
server.
18. The phone according to claim 17 wherein the phone employs the
code provided by the customer in response to the code prompt to
validate the sales information presented by the remote merchant
server and wherein the phone employs a cryptographic key provided
by a SmartCard to digitally sign the user approval that is
communicated to the remote merchant server.
19. The phone according to claim 10 wherein the phone employs the
voice connection circuitry to establish a voice connection with the
second phone used by the remote merchant, and the data
communication circuitry to communicate with the remote merchant
server and to receive the sales information when the remote
merchant causes the remote merchant server to send the sales
information.
20. The phone according to claim 10 wherein the phone retrieves the
sales information from the remote merchant server, for review and
approval, when the customer activates a sales information retrieval
function in the phone during the time when the phone is
simultaneously connected to the second phone used by the remote
merchant over a voice channel.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of the
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/130,751, entitled "SYSTEM AND
METHOD FOR MANAGING SALES COMPLETION ON MOBILE DEVICES" (Attorney
Docket No. GH2004US02), filed May 17, 2005, which is a conversion
of the provisional application titled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
MANAGING SALES COMPLETION ON MOBILE DEVICES", filed May 17, 2004.
The complete subject matter of both of these patent applications is
hereby incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE
[0003] Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Quite often people purchase products from a vendor by
calling the vendor on the phone, such as a mobile phone or PDA,
inquiring about the items they are interested in buying, and pay
for their purchases using a credit card. However, this process
leaves room for error and fraud. For example, the vendor may charge
the customer on the phone in error, or overcharge the customer. The
customer does not typically realize that they are overcharged or
that a fraud has been committed until they review their monthly
credit card statements. Another problem occurs when the customer
does not understand the salesman correctly or does not properly
hear the sales price quoted to him. Thus, the actual price paid by
the customer, using his credit or debit card, may come as a
surprise to the customer much later, when the customer reviews a
monthly statement from the credit card company or bank. The
customer may then try to cancel the transactions. Thus, the
customer is likely to be dissatisfied by the experience and the
sales person/merchant is likely to be put into financial loss due
to such transactions.
[0005] Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and personal
digital assistants (PDA's), often are used to initiate and purchase
mobile content and services. For example, a user may employ his
mobile device to purchase and download software.
[0006] For various reasons, after the initiation of a mobile
transaction the user may not complete the mobile transaction.
Currently, there are no automated mechanisms that can notify the
network of the failed attempt or assist a user to complete this
interrupted transaction. A user who cannot successfully complete a
sales transaction using a mobile device will be reluctant to
attempt the same or similar transaction again.
[0007] The growth of wireless applications and services are
skyrocketing. Unfortunately, the growth of these applications and
services is mirrored by increased complexity of the mobile devices.
This complexity is serving as a deterrent for wide spread adoption
of next generation applications and services severely reducing the
market opportunity.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A method and/or device supporting firmware update using an
update agent in a mobile device, substantially as shown in and/or
described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set
forth more completely in the claims;
[0009] FIG. 2 is an interaction diagram that shows exemplary
interactions and information flow between the various entities in
the sales completion network;
[0010] FIG. 3 is an interaction diagram that shows another
exemplary interactions and information flow between the various
entities in the sales completion network; and
[0011] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the
sales completion client in the sales completion phone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of a sale completion network
comprising a mobile device communicatively coupled to a carrier
network to which an third remote sales management server may also
be communicatively coupled; and
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective block diagram of an embodiment of
the present invention wherein USB based removable flash memory
storage devices comprise of both a USB male adapter as well as a
USB female adapter such that two such units could be plugged into
each other for transferring data from one to the other.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Aspects of the present invention relate generally to the
process of conducting sales over a phone, such as a mobile device,
and more specifically, to the use of a sales completion client to
facilitate display of an invoice and approval by the customer for
the sales event. The following discussion makes reference to the
term "electronic device" that is used herein to refer to mobile
electronic devices such as, for example, a mobile handset, a
cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a pager, and a
personal computer, to name just a few. Although the listed example
electronic devices are mobile devices, application of the present
invention is not limited in this manner, as representative
embodiments of the present invention may be employed in a wide
variety of electronic devices, both fixed and mobile.
[0015] Electronic devices may be adapted to access sales servers to
receive an invoice or a reference (such as a URL) to an invoice.
These electronic devices can retrieve sales invoices and other
related information, display them for review by a customer, and
conduct sales related transactions. An electronic device may be,
for example, a mobile electronic device having sales software such
as mobile cellular phone handsets, personal digital assistants
(PDAs), pagers, MP-3 players, digital cameras, etc.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of a sale completion network
105 comprising a mobile device 107 communicatively coupled to a
carrier network 117 to which an third remote sales management
server 133 may also be communicatively coupled. The mobile device
107 is communicatively coupled with a remote phone 119, such as a
cellular phone, a landline phone, a voice-over IP phone etc. The
mobile device 107 comprises a sales completion client 109, a user
profile 115 and a security component 111.
[0017] The mobile device 107 may be adapted to access the remote
sales management servers 133 to receive an invoice from it, or a
reference (such as a URL) to an invoice. The mobile device 107 can
retrieve a sales invoice using the reference (such as URL, or an
invoice id) and other related information, display them for review
and approval by a customer, and conduct sales related transactions
after user review and/or approval.
[0018] The mobile device 107 facilitates a sales call by a user,
with a remote sales person using the remote phone 119, wherein the
user is presented with a sales invoice communicated by the remote
sales person via the remote sales management server 131. The user
has the option to review an invoice or a sales receipt presented by
the remote sales person (using the remote phone), when the mobile
device 107 displays the invoice or a sales receipt that is
transferred by the remote sales management server during an online
sales event.
[0019] The user typically dials the remote sales person using the
mobile device 107 (or, as in a related embodiment, a landline
phone) and dialing the phone number of the remote phone. After
determining the availability of one of more products (or services),
the user places an order for those products. The remote sales
person then causes the remote sales management server 133 to
communicate an invoice based on the products selected for purchase
by the user. The user reviews the presented invoice, that is
displayed by the mobile device 107, with a prompt to the user to
review it and/approve it. The user reviews the invoice presented,
and, if it looks all right, approves the invoice. The approval of
the invoice is communicated by the mobile device to the remote
sales management server 133. In one embodiment, a user profile 115,
comprising of at least one of a credit card information (an account
identification, an expiry date, a security code, a credit limit
etc.), a shipping address, a billing address and a subscription
information, is communicated to the remote sales management server
133 along with the approval from the user. In another embodiment,
the user profile 115 is communicated along with the approval of an
invoice or receipt presented, only if the remote sales management
server 133 requests the user profile 115. In yet another
embodiment, the user approval is not solicited but a user profile
115 is solicited by the remote sales management server 133 from the
user of the mobile device 107 using appropriate prompts and
messages. In response, if the user approves delivery of the user
profile, it is communicated to the remote sales management server
133 by the sales completion client 109 of the mobile device
107.
[0020] In one embodiment, when a user approves of an invoice or
sales receipt presented by the remote sales management server 133,
the approval is provided along with a digitally signed content,
wherein the digital signature facilitates non-repudiation (of the
approval) by the user. The digital signature is created using the
invoice received and cryptographic means provides by a security
module 111 of the mobile device 107. In one embodiment, the
security module 111 is provided by a SIM or SmartCard used by the
mobile device 107. In another embodiment, the security module 111
is provided by a memory stick or removable memory unit plugged into
the mobile device 107.
[0021] The carrier network 117 comprises a sales management server
121, an optional promotion server 119, and an optional provisioning
system 123. The carrier network's sales management server 121 is
used by the remote phone 119 to communicate the invoice to the
mobile device. In one embodiment, the provisioning system 123
provisions a sales related user profile 115 for the mobile device
107. It sales provisions the cryptographic key or keys for the
security module 111. In a related embodiment, where the security
module 111 is part of a SIM or SmartCard, the provisioning system
123 provisions cryptographic keys and other related information
into the SIM/SmartCard. 111.
[0022] In general, the sales completion client 109 receives
invoices and sales receipts and displays them so as to let the user
review it and approve it, if necessary. If user approval is needed,
the user approval is solicited, and the user response to
communicated by the sales completion client 109 to the sales
server. The security module 111 provides support for various levels
of security for user sales transactions. For example, in one
embodiment, the user approval is digitally signed by the security
module 111 such that the remote sales management server 133 or the
sales management server 121 of the carrier network 117 can verify
it. Thus, then security module 111 facilitates non-repudiation of
user sales transaction. It also supports authentication of the
remote sales management server 133 or the sales management server
121. In one embodiment, the security model 111 is one of a SIM card
or a SmartCard.
[0023] The sales completion client 109 architecture is such as to
support storage of invoices, deferred approval of stored invoices,
automatic delivery of user profile 115 with approval of sales
transactions, modification of the user profile 115, etc. Support
for primary user profile and secondary user profiles is an
additional feature.
[0024] In one embodiment, a generic sales completion client 109 is
used by the carrier network/operator 117 (such as Sprint in Sprint
network or Cox in Cox cable network) to support invoice display and
approval of invoices and sales receipts presented by a sales
person, such as those working at a departmental store or mail-order
sales companies.
[0025] In one embodiment, the sales completion client 109 is a
downloadable program that can be installed on the mobile device
107. In a related embodiment, it is a java application.
[0026] FIG. 2 is an interaction diagram that shows exemplary
interactions and information flow between the various entities in
the sales completion network. The sales completion phone 211 is
used by the customer (user) to call the salesman on his salesman
phone 215. The sales completion phone comprises a sales completion
client capable of receiving an invoice or sales receipt and
displaying it. It is also capable of soliciting user approval and
communicating the user approval. It is also capable of
communicating a user profile.
[0027] The customer may inquire about the prices and availability
of one or more products or services. The salesman provides the
requested prices and availability information on the phone. The
interactions 217 and 219 are conducted using voice channels. They
may be conducted over data channels too, or using voice-over IP
connections. When the customer and the salesman have come to an
understanding, the salesman invokes communication of the invoice to
the user, by means of transfer of an invoice via the sales
management server 213 to the sales completion client 211 in the
sales completion phone, such as a mobile device.
[0028] When invoked by the salesman, the sales management server
213 creates an invoice, if necessary, and communicates it to the
sales completion client in the sales completion phone 211 (a mobile
device, a PDA, a landline phone, a VOIP phone, etc.). In one
embodiment, the sales management server 213 transfers an invoice to
the sales completion client in the sales completion phone 211, for
display and for soliciting user approval. In another embodiment, it
sends a notification to the sales completion client that is
received, processed and optionally displayed by the sales
completion client. The sales completion client then contacts the
sales management server to retrieve an invoice, using information
provided in the notification.
[0029] When the sales completion phone receives the invoice, it
displays it and solicits user's approval. When the sales completion
client receives the user approval, it sends it to the sales
management server 213. At this point, the sales transaction is
complete. The sales management server 213 may also receive a user
profile from the sales completion phone. The sales management
server 213 may also retrieve a user profile from the sales
completion phone if one is not provided to it by default. The user
profile may comprise of a credit card information, shipping
address, billing address, etc. The user approval received may be
digitally signed by the sales completion phone 211. The sales
management server may optionally communicate a transaction
completion message to the salesman using the salesman phone.
Finally, the user may terminate the call from the sales completion
phone or the salesman may terminate the call from the salesman
phone.
[0030] FIG. 3 is an interaction diagram that shows another
exemplary interactions and information flow between the various
entities in the sales completion network. The sales completion
phone 311 is used by the customer (user) to call the salesman on
his salesman phone 315. This interaction is similar to the one
described for FIG. 2 and depicts a scenario where the user rejects
the sales transaction initially, such as due to a wrong invoice
being displayed or inaccurate pricing on the invoice. The sales
completion phone 311 sends a message indicating the user's
rejection to the sales management server 313, which, in response,
sends the message indicating rejection by user to the salesman
phone. In a related embodiment, the rejected invoice is displayed
by the salesman phone for the salesman to review.
[0031] The salesman on the salesman phone 315 invokes the
communication of a modified invoice, to the sales completion phone
311. The sales management server 313 then sends the modified
invoice to the sales completion phone for display and solicitation
of the customer's approval. The customer's (user's) approval is
received by the sales management server 313, which optionally
communicates it to the salesman's phone 315. The sales transaction
may be terminated and the call terminated by either the salesman
phone 315 or the sales completion phone 311.
[0032] In one embodiment, the invoice is communicated to the sales
completion client by the sales management server using an SMS
transport. In another embodiment, it is communicated over an data
service, such as a GPRS service.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the
sales completion client in the sales completion phone. At a start
block 407, the processing of the sales completion client starts,
when the sales completion phone is used by the user to talk with a
sales person. Then, at a next block 409, the sales completion phone
starts the sales completion client, if necessary. For example, if
the sales management server wants to communicate an invoice to the
sales completion phone, it needs to communicate with the sales
completion client, and either the user can start the sales
completion client (such as invoking an application) or the sales
completion client is automatically started when the invoice, or a
notification message containing an invoice, etc. are received by
the sales completion phone from the sales management server. The
sales management server employs an SMS or a GPRS connection (or
some such bearer) to send the invoice. In a related embodiment,
based on device capabilities, the sales management server employs
the right bearer for sending the invoice.
[0034] Then, at a next block 411, the sales completion client
receives the invoice. Then, at a next block 413, the sales
completion client displays the invoice and solicits user approval.
The response from the user is typically communicated to the sales
management server at the next block 415. In addition, the user
profile is optionally communicated to the sales management server
at the next block 417. In general, such user profile communication
is conducted securely. For example, a secure transport such as SSL
or TLS may be employed. Alternatively, using an appropriate
security module in the sales completion client, the user profile is
encrypted and sent to the sales management server. For
non-repudiation or for authentication by the sales management
server, a digital signature of the user profile is also sent.
[0035] Then, at a next bock 419, a charging event is created, based
on the user profile is optionally communicated. The charging event
comprises all relevant sales transaction information, such as an
invoice number or a receipt number, a time stamp, subset's of
information from the user profile, etc.
[0036] Then, at the next block 421, the charging event is
communicated to a billing system. This billing system may be
associated with the operator network or with the sales management
server. Finally, the processing terminates at an end block 423.
[0037] Although the creation of the charging event and the
communication of the charging event is described as being conducted
by the sales completion client, in one embodiment, they are
conducted by the sales management server.
[0038] Typically, in accordance with the present invention, the
phone supports online purchase of products by a customer, and makes
it possible to review an invoice before the online sale is
completed or successfully terminated. The phone comprises a voice
connection circuitry to connect with a second phone used by a
remote merchant, a data communication circuitry to connect to a
remote merchant server and receive an invoice and a display
circuitry to display the invoice. It also comprises an input means
to receive a user approval of the displayed invoice. The phone
displays the invoice when it receives one, then solicits user
approval, and subsequently communicates the user approval to the
remote merchant server when a user responds using the input
means.
[0039] FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram of an exemplary embodiment
of the sales network 505 wherein a billing system 547 communicates
a sales receipt or an invoice to a mobile device 507 when the
customer of the remote phone 519 initiates the communication of the
sales receipt or invoice to the customer currently using the mobile
device 507. The customer employs the mobile device 507 to interact,
using a voice communication facility provided by a carrier network
517, with the sales person or merchant currently using remote phone
519. After selecting one or more items (products, services, etc.)
for purchasing, the customer requests the sales person or merchant
to send an invoice or sales receipt for review and approval. The
sales person or merchant then interacts with the billing system
547, either directly or using the remote phone 519, to create a
sales receipt or an invoice based on the items purchased by the
customer. The sales person or merchant then causes the billing
system 547 to communicate the invoice to the mobile device 507.
After an approval is received from the mobile device 507 by the
billing system 547, the sales transaction is completed and the
voice communication link between the mobile device 507 and the
remote phone 519 is terminated.
[0040] In one embodiment, the sales person provides the customer
with a code that the customer uses to validate the sales
information, such as an invoice or a sales receipt, communicated by
the billing system 547 or the remote phone 519. The customer is
prompted for the code when a notification message is received by
the mobile device 507. After the code is provided by the customer,
it is used to selectively validate the notification message and/or
the sales information received.
[0041] The mobile device 507 comprises a SIM/Smartcard 511, an SMS
client 509, a WAP Browser 513 and a user profile 515. The SMS
client is used to receive SMS messages sent by the billing system
547. Such an SMS message may comprise of an invoice or sales
receipt, and may be delivered as a multi-part message. In addition,
the customer is prompted to review the invoice or sales receipt
[0042] In one embodiment, the billing system 547 communicates an
invoice or sales receipt to the WAP browser 513, via the carrier
network 517, for display to the customer and review and approval by
the customer, the approval being communicated back to the billing
system 547 by the WAP browser 513 to complete the sales transaction
successfully. Specifically, the billing system 547 communicates an
invoice or sales receipt to the WAP server 521 over a secure
transport, such as SSL or TLS, which in turn communicates the
invoice or sales receipt to the WAP browser 513 of the mobile
device 507 using a secure transport such as WTLS. The customer can
then review the invoice or sales receipt and then provide an
approval, which is communicated back to the billing system 547 by
the WAP browser via the WAP server 521.
[0043] In one embodiment, the billing system 547 communicates a
reference to an invoice or sales receipt, such as an URL, to the
SMS client 509 (or some alternative notification client). A prompt
to the customer is also sent along with it soliciting customer
review and approval. While reviewing the SMS message received, that
is displayed by the SMS client 509, the customer is provided with
the option to retrieve the sales receipt or invoice using the URL
provided. If the customer chooses to do so, the WAP browser 513
retrieves the invoice or sales receipt, via the WAP server 521. The
URL typically provides a reference to the invoice or sales receipt
statically stored (or assembled when required) at the billing
system 547, or an alternative web site).
[0044] In one embodiment, when the customer using the mobile device
507 and the sales person or merchant using the remote phone 519
come to an agreement on the items being purchased and the price for
it, the sales person or merchant using the remote phone 519 causes
the billing system 547 to send an SMS message based notification,
via the SMSC 549 to the SMS client 509, along with the URL of an
invoice or a sales receipt created and stored in the billing system
547 or an alternative website. The notification comprises the
merchant identification, a time stamp, a total cost or purchases,
the tax for the purchases, the shipping cost, etc. The SMS client
displays the notification for the customer. In addition, it
optionally saves it in the mobile device 507, such as in a small
database of sales notifications. The SMS client makes it possible
for the user to browse the invoice or sales receipt whose reference
is provided in the notification, such as by means of the WAP
browser 513 (or other HTML or XML based browsers). The customer
approval is solicited by the invoice or sales receipt displayed by
the WAP browser 513. If the customer approves it, the approval,
along with an optional digital signature for security purposes, is
sent to the billing system 547.
[0045] In a related embodiment, the invoice or sales receipt is
sent to, and displayed by the SMS client 509. In addition, user
approval is communicated to the billing system 547, by means of a
mobile device initiated SMS messaging service provided by the SMS
client 509.
[0046] In general, the WAP browser 513, is capable of displaying
invoices or sales receipt retrieved via the carrier network 517,
for display to the customer and review and approval by the
customer, the approval being communicated back to the billing
system 547 by the WAP browser 513 to complete the sales transaction
successfully.
[0047] In one embodiment, an invoice sent to the customer by the
billing system 547 is to be approved by the user before the sales
transaction is completed. However, payment (or money transfer by
the customer) occurs subsequently, when the customer sends a check
to the merchant or makes a payment by some alternative means. On
the other hand, if a sales receipt is communicated to the customer,
the user approval initiates an immediate transfer of money based on
credit card accounts, debit card accounts or other bank
accounts.
[0048] In one related embodiment, the billing system 547 is a sales
computer used by the merchant or sales person using the remote
phone 519 to create invoices, sales receipt and other related
information that are sent to the mobile device via the carrier
network 517, or that is retrieved by the mobile device 507 via the
carrier network 517.
[0049] In one embodiment, the sales receipt comprises a timestamp,
a total amount and a merchant identification. In another
embodiment, it also comprises the list of items being purchased by
the user of the mobile device, such as the mobile device 107 or
507.
[0050] In general, a method of conducting a sales transaction over
a first phone connection, such as a voice connection, established
between a customer phone 107 and a salesman phone 119 comprises
several steps or activities, such as collecting a sales information
on at least one product selected by a customer, communicating at
least one of an invoice and a sales receipt, based on the collected
information, by a sales management server 121 or 133 to the
customer phone and receiving the at least one of an invoice and a
sales receipt by the customer phone from the sales management
server. It also comprises displaying the at least one of an invoice
and a sales receipt by the customer phone, soliciting customer
approval for the at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt by
the customer phone 107 and communicating a customer response
received to a sales management server 121 or 133 by the customer
phone 107. In addition, collecting the sales information comprises
entering, via a sales user interface associated with the sales
management server, the sales information into the sales management
server 121 or 133 and storing the sales information.
[0051] The customer response is one of an approval and a rejection.
Again, communicating comprises creating at least one of an invoice
and a sales receipt based on the sales information and establishing
a second phone connection with the customer phone 107. The activity
of communicating also comprises transferring the at least one of an
invoice and sales receipt to the customer phone 107 over the second
phone connection.
[0052] In a related embodiment, the first phone connection is a
voice connection and the second phone connection is one of a SMS
connection, a data connection, a data connection over GPRS, a data
connection over VOIP, a data connection over EDGE, a data
connection over WiFi, a data connection over WiMAX or a data
connection over WAP.
[0053] In another embodiment of the present invention, the method
of conducting a sales transaction using a customer phone 107 and a
salesman phone 119 comprises establishing a voice connection
between the customer phone 107 connection and the salesman phone
119, selecting at least one product, by the customer using the
customer phone 107 and delivering at least one of an invoice and a
sales receipt, using at least one of a data connection and an SMS
connection, by a sales management server 133, when a sales person
using the salesman phone 119 needs to send an invoice or a sales
receipt to the customer. It also comprises displaying, to the
customer, the at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt using
the customer phone 107 and soliciting a user response of the at
least one of an invoice and a sales receipt. In addition, it
comprises delivering the user response to the sales management
server 145.
[0054] The delivering comprises determining the user response,
digitally signing the user response to create a signature and
transferring the user response and the signature to the sales
management server. Delivering further comprises sending a user
profile comprising a credit card account, a credit card expiry
date, a billing address and a shipping address to the sales
management server.
[0055] In addition, the method further comprises communicating a
code by the sales person using the salesman phone to the customer
and validating the at least one of an invoice and a sales receipt
employing at least the code, prior to the displaying. The
communication of the code may occur over a voice channel between
the customer phone and the salesman phone.
[0056] In one embodiment of the present invention, a phone 107, is
used for making purchases by a customer over a phone call. The
phone 107 comprises a voice communication means to make the phone
call to a salesperson on a second phone 119 and a data
communication means for selectively receiving or retrieving an
invoice from a remote merchant server 133 that creates the invoice.
The phone 107 is capable of receiving and displaying a sales
information wherein the sales information is at least one of an
invoice and a sales receipt. The phone 107 receives the sales
information from the remote merchant server 133, for review and
approval, when the salesperson activates a sales information
delivery function in the remote merchant server 133.
[0057] The phone retrieves the sales information from the remote
merchant server 133, for review and approval, when the customer
using the phone 107 activates a sales information retrieval
function in the phone 107 during the time when the phone is
simultaneously connected to the second phone 119 used by the
salesperson. In a related embodiment, the remote merchant server
133 is a device management server that is based on a device
management protocol.
[0058] The phone 107 may also comprise a user profile that is
communicated to the remote merchant server 133 along with the user
approval.
[0059] In general, the phone 107 further comprises a display means
to display the sales information and an input means to receive a
user approval for the displayed sales information. The phone 107
displays the sales information when it receives one, then solicits
the user approval using the display means, and communicates the
user approval to the remote merchant server 133 when the customer
using the phone 107 responds to the solicitation of the user
approval by using the input means. In one embodiment, the voice
connection with the second phone 119 and the phone 107 and the data
connection between the remote merchant server 133 and the phone 107
are simultaneously active.
[0060] The phone 107 provides the user with a code prompt to enter
a code that is communicated by the salesperson using the second
phone 119 to the customer using the phone 107. The phone 107
accepts the code provided by the customer in response to the code
prompt displayed. The phone employs the code provided by the
customer in response to the code prompt to validate the sales
information presented by the remote merchant server 133.
[0061] The phone employs the code provided by the customer in
response to the code prompt to validate the sales information
presented by the remote merchant server. In addition, the phone
employs a cryptographic key provided by a SmartCard 111 to
digitally sign the user approval that is communicated to the remote
merchant server. Also, the phone employs the voice connection
circuitry to establish a voice connection with the second phone 119
used by the remote merchant, and the data communication circuitry
to communicate with the remote merchant server 133 and to receive
the sales information when the remote merchant causes the remote
merchant server 133 to send the sales information.
[0062] In a related embodiment, the phone 107 retrieves the sales
information from the remote merchant server 133, for review and
approval, when the customer activates a sales information retrieval
function in the phone during the time when the phone 107 is
simultaneously connected to the second phone 119 used by the remote
merchant over a voice channel.
[0063] While the present invention has been described with
reference to certain embodiments, it will be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents
may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present
invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a
particular situation or material to the teachings of the present
invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is
intended that the present invention not be limited to the
particular embodiment disclosed, but that the present invention
will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the
appended claims.
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